Using bandwidth measurements to adjust cir and eir on a sub-rate link

A system in which bandwidth in both directions of a network segment is asymmetric, said system comprising:

• a synthetic traffic generator device configured to:
• generate a plurality of synthetic packets and mark each of said plurality of synthetic packets with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which each synthetic packet is generated;
• and;
• transmit each of said plurality of synthetic packets over said network;
• a bandwidth measurement function device configured to:
• measure said bandwidth in both directions of said network segment;
• receive said plurality of synthetic packets and mark each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which said each received synthetic packet is received;
• calculate an inter-packet delay variation by said bandwidth measurement function of said network segment based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets;
• calculate an available bandwidth of said network segment based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation;
• and
• a traffic shaper and scheduler device in communication with said synthetic traffic generator device, said traffic shaper and scheduler device configured to allocate said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth in both directions of said network segment, wherein when said available bandwidth falls below a predetermined level, bandwidth allocated to a lowest priority class of service of said plurality of classes of service is reduced.

A system that adjusts committed information rate (CIR) and excess information rate (EIR) for classes of services in both directions of a network segment to achieve the best overall bandwidth of said link.

• a synthetic traffic generator device configured to:
• generate a plurality of synthetic packets and mark each of said plurality of synthetic packets with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which each synthetic packet is generated, and;
• transmit each of said plurality of synthetic packets over said network segment;
• a bandwidth measurement function device configured to:
• measure said bandwidth in both directions of said network segment;
• receive said plurality of synthetic packets and mark each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which said each received synthetic packet is received;
• calculate an inter-packet delay variation by said bandwidth measurement function of said network link based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets;
• calculate an available bandwidth of said network segment between based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation;
• and
• a traffic shaper and scheduler device in communication with said synthetic traffic generator device, said traffic shaper and scheduler device configured to allocate said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service by adjusting the CIR and EIR for each class of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth of said network segment.

A method for managing an overall bandwidth of a network segment between a first location and a second location, said method comprising:

• generating, by a synthetic traffic generator device, a plurality of synthetic packets and marking each generated synthetic packet with a transmission timestamp indicative of a first clock time at which the synthetic packet is generated,
• transmitting over said network segment, by said synthetic traffic generator device, each of the generated synthetic packets;
• receiving, by a bandwidth measurement function device, each synthetic packet and marking each received synthetic packet with a reception timestamp indicative of a second clock time at which the synthetic packet is received,
• calculating, by said bandwidth measurement function device, an inter-packet delay variation of said network segment based on said transmission timestamp and said reception timestamp of said generated plurality of synthetic packets,
• deriving, by said bandwidth measurement function device, an available bandwidth of said network segment between said first and second locations based on said calculated inter-packet delay variation, and
• allocating, by a traffic shaper and scheduler device, said available bandwidth between a plurality of classes of service by adjusting a CIR and EIR for each class of service to achieve a best overall available bandwidth in both directions of said network segment.